I'm getting to grips with Problem Management after being on the Problem Management Practitioner course and I've been given the role of Problem Manager. This is for purely a software support & development environment.

Now the system I have implemented is a Problem Log is created where there is a bug somewhere or something isn't working correctly and its a design issue. When the problem is picked up to be investigated, a Known Error record is created where the underlying cause is reported along with suggested solutions.

90% of the time, the only way to resolve the issue is to release a design change at which point both the Problem and Known Error logs are closed.

I'm thinking that maybe I've got it wrong, that it should be a problem is investigated and once the underlying cause is known it is reported on the Problem Log. The Problem Log is then closed and a Known Error is opened ready to report on the workarounds and potential solutions.

"I'm thinking that maybe I've got it wrong, that it should be a problem is investigated and once the underlying cause is known it is reported on the Problem Log. The Problem Log is then closed and a Known Error is opened "

Once a problem is identified a problem record should be opened there and then. Once the cause is known and a workaround identified the problem becomes a known error. I generally keep the same problem record open and use a flag/code field inthe problem record to identify the problem as a known error. I have seperate fields inte the same problem / known error record to keep problem updates recorded and known error information i.e. workarounds etc.

So my problem record also serves as a known error record and is stored in the problem management system. The same problm management system has a view with a filter to show all open problem records that have been flagged as a known error = my KEDB. This keeps everyting in the one place.

The type of problems that you mention reference "bug" which spans another element of problem management i.e. defect / bug management (may not be 100% ITIL but I classify problems for bugs and defects as there is a longer proces that these need to go through to get resolved.

I'm only concerned with bug fixes so I only need a problem log rather than a problem log AND a known error log as I don't need to worry (at the moment) about workarounds as they are currently sorted out within Incident Management.

I hope I don't confuse things - what I was saying that the problem record can also server as a known error record and provide you with a KEDB.

If Incident management is passed a workaround and if the root cause of the problem is known the problem should be pfalgged a as known error also regardless if it is a bug/ defect/ network issue etc.

I do this and also seperate out the bugs using another code field to allow me manage them through the bug / defect process using the same problem records to avoud double entry of the same thing. Most bugs I progress are flagged as known errors and recorded in problem records as we have had to get incident management a quick fix / workaround to get users back working._________________Mark O'Loughlin
ITSM / ITIL Consultant